Cash

It's after midnight at Visa International's offices in London, Steve a middle aged man, the night security officer sits on the reception, to his right are locked glass entrance doors. It's quiet now and Steve sits head in hands watching the wide screen tv in front of him, suddenly a man appears at the glass doors with a package in his hands, he's a courier decked out in UPS uniform and a handheld electronic signing device in his hand. Steve see's him and releases the doors.

The man put's on a black balaclava and removes a bag from his back pocket and walks quickley over to the reception.

Man 'I've got a gun, it's loaded, take me to the money....'

Steve looks at him not saying a word, the bag and object inside it now being pointed in his face.

Man 'Come on man, did you hear me?'

Steve 'Yes I heard you'

Man 'Well what you waitin for?'

slight pause and silence as both men look at each other the man standing over Steve

Man 'Don't play with me bruv, I'm not afraid to use this either you know....it's loaded I told you....'

Steve ' Well go on then....'

Man 'What'

Steve 'Well go on, if your gonna shoot me, then just do it and get it over and done with...'

Man scratches his head getting agitated.

Steve 'Look, I've just had the shift from hell ok, on top of that I'm heavily in debt, plus my whole life is in a mess, I got divorced last year, I left my travel card at home, it's fucking raining outside and holiday request has just been turned down......so I don't give a shit right now and like I say, if your gonna do it, let's go'

Man 'Look I want the money, that's why I came here, just take me to where the money is, right then I'm gone, that's it, you get me...'

Steve ' What money?'

Man 'Look I'm getting tired of this bro, you know what I'm saying, just give me the money, or your gonna get it I swear...'

Steve ' There is no money here, what money are you talking about?'

Man ' Don't get funny with me man, I swear down, this is Visa...'

Steve ' Yes but they don't have cash here, it's not a bank, it's electronic, cards, chips you know'

Man 'They must have some dough here'

Steve ' No they have no money here, I told you, it's a corporate office, what do you want....? Look, take it have my money, go on...'

coins are tossed out on to reception

Man 'What's this.. Well how much you got?'

Steve ' That's it, that's all I have...'

Man scratches his head again 'No man, I don't want your money, I'm at Visa credit card, you get me, I want Visa's notes not yours, put it away man'

Steve puts the money back in his pocket

Man ' Trust me to get some sick brea, right last chance ok, take me to the where the money is, or you get it, don't play with me.......'

Steve 'Your not gonna shoot me'

Man 'Look, I've got my boys outside right, one word from me and they'll be here so stop messin'...'

Steve glances at the camera 'I can't see anyone'

Man 'Why aren't you doin' what I say'

Steve ' Cause that's not a gun in that bag, is it? It's that stupid handheld devise you had outside, I saw you with it, and anyway when have you ever seen a gun shaped like that, I can see it through the bag.....'

silence as the man thinks

Steve ' It's not a gun is it?

Steve then starts pulling at the bag to reveal the handheld gadget

Man 'Come on man'

Steve 'See I knew it, now what you gonna do? and just take off that balaclava, at least let me see who I'm wasting all this time with.'

Man slowly takes off the hat

Steve 'Why are you doing this, why are you here, bothering me, with all this (looks at the hat and devise)

Man ' I need the money man, kids at home you know how it is, Visa took my cash bruv you know what I'm sayin'

Steve 'Do you work?'

Man 'Na, come on man, there's nothing out there, I've tried boy........your lucky, you know that?'

Steve 'Have you even looked?'

Man 'Yeah I've looked, I check every single day, then you never here nothing back anyway....'

Steve 'Where did you get the uniform from then?'

Man 'It's a friend's I borrowed it, especially'

Steve ' Can't you work for UPS? I mean you've got most of the equipment already....'

Man 'No, I checked'

slight pause

Steve ' Look, there's a job going upstairs, it's nothing much, you know up in the staff canteen, the managers a friend of mine, I know he's still looking........so are you interested?'

slight pause as the man thinks

Man 'Yeah...'

Steve ' Ok, just get here tomorrow in the afternoon to see him, say around 3, I'll give him a call, let him know your coming.....'

Man 'Ok, tomorrow...........................but why would you do this anyway? You know after, all this?'

Steve '.....I don't know, you need a job...?'

Man 'Yeah'

Steve ' what's your name anyway...?'

Man ' Ashley'

Steve 'Alright then Ashley, just write your number on here, the guy's name is Donis'

Man 'ok........ what about the cameras?'

Steve ' Don't worry, I'll sort it.......just be here tomorrow'

Man nods

The two men shake hands, then Ashley picks up his things and leaves, looking back at Steve before he closes the reception door.

Steve shakes his head and laughs softly to himself, he then glances over to a pile of newspapers stacked up concealing the laptop he'd only an hour earlier, stolen from upstairs.



END